contents4 A walk of prayer6 Heinly calls studentsto a radical love12 Alumni news14 A passion for learning:Karl Stoltzfus15 Networking Breakfast16 From the superintendentBridges is the quarterly magazine of<strong>Lancaster</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>School</strong>, sent toalumni, parents and friends. LMSexists to transform students so theycan change our world throughChristlike love, peacemaking andservice. The school welcomes studentswithout regard to sex, race,nationality or ethnic origin.<strong>Lancaster</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>School</strong>has four campuses:Kraybill, grades PreK–8598 Kraybill Church RoadMount Joy, PA 17552(717) 653-5236<strong>Lancaster</strong>, grades 6–122176 Lincoln Highway East<strong>Lancaster</strong>, PA 17602(717) 299-0436Locust Grove, grades PreK–82257 Old Philadelphia Pike<strong>Lancaster</strong>, PA 17602(717) 394-7107New Danville, grades PreK–6393 Long Lane<strong>Lancaster</strong>, PA 17603(717) 872-2506Address alumni and school news tosprungerdl@lancastermennonite.org.Editor, writer: Fern Clemmerclemmerfe@lancastermennonite.orgVolume 36, No. 4cover photo: Five LMS billboards willsoon invite <strong>Lancaster</strong> County drivers toconsider the LMS Difference. Reducedadvertising rates and diminishing readershipof print media have promptedLMS to consider new advertising options.The billboard on the cover is locatedalong Route 272 near Brownstown.PHOTO: GARY HILLERFREE PLAY ENHANCES A HOLISTIC, EXCELLENT EDUCATIONLet the children playIn the good old days, recess was ahighlight of the day for school children.Today, however, some schoolsare reducing or even eliminating recesstime in order to prepare their childrenfor the increased testing required bythe federal “No Child Left Behind” Act.At <strong>Lancaster</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>School</strong>,recess is still viewed as being an importantpart of the day for elementary children.Parents like New Danville parentDeb McCoy say they are glad.“I am encountering more and moreschools in my work that are eliminatingrecess, and I find it appalling,” saidMcCoy, who formerly worked at thePennsylvania Department of Educationand is now an education consultant.“This is indeed an extremely shortsightedapproach to learning and educatingthe whole child. No wonder ourkids are so tied to the electronic worldand many don’t want to go outdoorsany more.”According to research, providingfree play and exercise can actually helpincrease academic performance. ScienceDaily,published at the Universityof Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (<strong>2009</strong>,April 1), says: “Physical activity mayincrease students’ cognitive control—orability to pay attention—and also resultin better performance on academicachievement tests.” The essaydescribes testing that shows “theincrease in reading comprehensionfollowing exercise equated to approximatelya full gradelevel.”Research from theNational Associationfor Sport and PhysicalEducation (May 2006)also discusses the tiebetween inactivity/poor nutritional habitsand the 16 percent ofchildren who are overweight.Elementary childrenat the Kraybill, LocustGrove and NewDanville campusesenjoy at least twotimes out of the classroomeach day—either two recesses, orone recess and one physical educationclass. Kraybill Principal John Webersays his faculty believe “free play timeis essential” in the holistic growth ofchildren.“Free play enhances physical growth,provides opportunity for children todevelop social skills through negotiatingtheir play activity and rules,” hesaid, “and it also enhances creativityand imagination.”Weber, who sometimes joins thechildren at recess, said he is “alwaysimpressed to see students negotiatethe rules and referee their own play.”“The cultivation of interpersonalskills and group cooperation has nobetter setting for growth than duringrecess,” he said.For New Danville teacher SarahFichter, recess is a great time to observestudents and how they interact witheach other.“How a student plays at recess is agood indicator of whether or not a studentmight have insecurities with othersor if it’s more of an insecurity with(academic) material,” she said. “If Inotice a student is withdrawn in classbut is quick to join in with classmatesat recess, I am not as concerned as if Isee a student withdrawn during academicsand recess.“Recess can be a time of conflict forstudents, and I have often used timeafter recess to talk through situations2 BRIDGES • SPRING <strong>2009</strong>
with my class to help teach them positiveconflict resolution strategies.”Judi Mollenkof, principal of NewDanville and Locust Grove, told thestory of another teacher whose very shystudent had set a goal to include othersin her play. One day the teacherobserved the shy student making adeliberate effort to reach out, so theteacher affirmed the student afterward.Later, the parent thanked the teacher forher caring observation and followthrough.“Recess does give (teachers) anopportunity to interact and observestudents in a different setting than theclassroom,” Mollenkof said. “It can bevery helpful in giving insight about thestudents and also in building relationshipswith them.” ■Register by June 5 for fall season!MENNONITE SPORTS ORGANIZATIONScheduleFall: Boys soccer, PreK-6Girls field hockey, grades 1-6Winter: Boys and girls basketball, grades 2-6<strong>Spring</strong>: Girls soccer, PreK-6Providing Christ-centeredsports opportunities forelementary-age childrenFor more information and to register,please go to www.mennonitesports.orgor call Susan Burkholder at (717) 394-7107.Free play is an important part of the growthprocess for students at <strong>Lancaster</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong>’sthree elementary campuses: Kraybill,shown on page 2 photo, Locust Grove, atright; and New Danville, below. All threecampuses enjoy state-of-the-art playgroundequipment. KRAYBILL PHOTO: JONATHAN CHARLES.NEW DANVILLE PHOTO: EDIE HESSBRIDGES • SPRING <strong>2009</strong> 3
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